CM launches statewide wall painting drive ahead of polls

Guwahati: Now, “lotus will bloom in walls across Assam,” said CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday while launching a wall painting campaign ahead of the elections to the 126-member assembly likely to be held in March-April.Painting the party’s symbol, the lotus, on a wall at Khanapra in Guwahati, the CM said, “From today, our wall writing campaign has started. It will be undertaken across the state and completed within a fixed time frame.”Sarma, however, said prior permission from the wall owners will be sought before painting pictures of the lotus, along with a slogan. “By seeking permission, we will be able to increase our mass outreach. Through the slogans, we will emphasise the work done by the BJP-led govts in the state over the last 5-10 years,” he said, adding that the slogans would also reflect the party’s ideology.The slogans for the wall painting campaign include, “Why We Need the BJP — For the Protection of Civilisation, Culture and Life — BJP Govt Once Again”, “Why We Need the BJP — To Safeguard Our Land and Our Rights — BJP Govt Once Again” and “Why We Need the BJP — For Women’s Economic Empowerment — BJP Govt Once Again,” among others.The CM said that BJP’s position in Assam is very strong as the party is ready to announce candidates in 50 assembly seats, if the party’s central leadership asks to release the names.“There is no application system in BJP. The public, our workers, will suggest names, and we don’t have any fees of Rs 25,000 or Rs 50,000. First, Congress is collecting amounts ranging from Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore. This process is going on in 22-23 seats,” he added, while alleging Congress of collecting huge sum of money for tickets.On alliance matters, Sarma said BJP state president Dilip Saikia was holding talks with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) on seat-sharing arrangements. He added that BJP ministers were also engaged in discussions and expressed confidence that the talks would be finalised by Feb 15.In Barak Valley as well, stepping up its pre-election mobilisation, BJP on Monday launched a statewide wall writing campaign.In Silchar, the campaign was launched in front of the BJP office at Itkhola, where party leaders and workers gathered to paint slogans highlighting development and security as the party’s core poll themes. The slogan “Assam’s Security: BJP’s Pledge” was inscribed on the office walls, signalling what leaders said would be a central message in the party’s run-up to the elections.A similar programme was held in Haflong in Dima Hasao district, where the campaign was launched by Assam minister Nandita Gorlosa near the district commissioner’s office.